River Raisin Ragtime Revue to perform at Croswell Opera House on Sunday, April 6

TECUMSEH — Toe tappin’ and foot stompin’ melodies will fill the historic Croswell Opera House Sunday, April 6, as the River Raisin Ragtime Revue (R4) performs a lively and uplifting concert of ragtime and early jazz favorites. Based in Tecumseh and in it’s 13th season, R4 has become nationally and internationally known for its authentic recreation of America’s original style of popular music. The orchestra is true to the ragtime era — utilizing string quartet, six winds, drum set, banjo and piano. This reduced-sized orchestra became known as a “theater orchestra,” since it was easier to fit in smaller theaters like the Croswell. R4 music director William Pemberton is excited about R4’s first performance at the Croswell. “Although we’ve performed at Adrian College and for Art-A-licious, I’ve always wanted to play at the Croswell. Our orchestra would have been exactly the orchestra performing at this gem of a theater in 1900. I think a beautiful old hall makes beautiful old music sound even better.”The Adrian concert is part of an exciting year for R4. Their fourth CD, “Animal Fair,” has received excellent reviews nationally. In January, R4 presented its third annual Ragtime Extravaganza at Ann Arbor’s Michigan Theater. This vaudeville and burlesque show featured Butch Thompson of “A Prairie Home Companion,” Grammy and Pulitzer Prize winner William Bolcom, Grammy nominees Joan Morris and James Dapogny, actor John Neville- Andrews, New York City burlesque dancer Mimi Mischief and other local talent. This summer, R4 returns to headline the 8th annual Ragtime Street Fair at Greenfield Village, an event they helped The Henry Ford develop to celebrate ragtime’s place in American history.The April 6 concert takes place at 3 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.croswell.org or by calling 264.SHOW. More information about the River Raisin Ragtime Revue can be found at www.ragtimeband.org.